Apparatus for the concentration of ores.



T. M. OWEN. APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZ. I914.

l,155,836n v Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7 1/11 asses. i Inventor.

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T. M. OWEN. APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2| l9I4.

Patented Oct.

5, 1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY IINITED STATES PATENT oFFIo THOMAS MAGKELLAR OWEN,

ASSIGNOR TO MINERALS SEPARATION AMERICAN SYNDICATE LONDON, ENGLAND.

(191a) LIMITED, or

APIE 'ARATU S FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Oct.'5, 1915.

Application f led May 2, 1914. Serial No. 835,811.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS MACKELLAR OWEN, a subject of the King ofEngland, residing at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for theConcentration ofv Ores, of which the follow- Lavers," No.

man, Greenway and Higgins, No. 962,678,

issued June 28, 1910,and of Greenway and Lavers, No. 1,064,723, issuedJune 17, 1913, and is particularly well adapted for differentialflotation, as described, for example, in United States patent to Nutterand 1,067 ,48'5, issued July- 15, 1913.

Hitherto it has been common practice to introduce the ore pulp with theagents necessary for froth formation into an agitation vessel where thepulp was subjected to v10- by the beating after which the was dis lentagitation accompanied in of the supernatant air, pulp (containing apotential froth) charged into a separate spitzkasten in which the frothfloated and was separated.

My invention consists of an ore concentration apparatus in which the airmother part of the apparatus,

gas is introduced into the lower part of the apparatus pulp and minutedivision of the air (or a1r emulsification) akes place 1n such lowerpass upwardly and means are interposed in their upward movement forproducing a condition of comparative quiescence at the upper part of theapparatus so that the froth may rise to the surface of the pulp andfloat off from or be removed from such surface.

My invention includes an apparatus in which the agitation and aerationof the pulp and the formation and flotation of the froth can take placein one vessel, so that the mineral-bearing froth can be producedcontinuously and removed from the surface of the pulp as soon as it isformed. In such appaparatus embodying my invention.

and in which the agitatlon of the and in which the agitated pulp and airemulsion are allowed to ratus, the pulp in the upper part of the vesselis subjected to a continuous stream of'min ute air bubbles, and thisstream of minute a1r bubbles may be regulatedas desired.

The accompanying drawings illustrate ap- I will now particularlydescribe such apparatus and will thereafter point out my invention inclaims.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of one form of apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a. vertical central section of anotherform of such apparatus. 'Fig. 3 is :1? horizontal section taken on theline 33 of 1g. 2. Referring first to Fig. 1 a vertical glass cyllnder Awith opentop has a neck at .the bottom with a central orifice B providedor BROKEN HILL, new SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA,

with a regulating valve C. At the bottom of the vessel is a paddle orpropeller agitator D with inclined blades. The paddle is carried on avertical spindle which is rotated at a highspeed in such a direction asto throw the liquid contents upward. Imme' diately above the top of thepaddle a ring I carrying four vertical baffles E .is fitted a into thecylinder. These baflies terminate a substantial distance below thesurface of the liquid in the cylinder. The normal level of still liquidis indicated by the broken line X. At the top of'the apparatus anoverflow launder Y is provided which performs the usual function ofreceiving and carrying off the floating concentrate. In operation theair or other gas is admitted to the apparatus through the orifice B atthe bottom, the amount being regulated and controlled by adjustment ofthe valveC', and theair or other gas is delivered toward the agitator D.Three zones of different character are produced in the apparatus; F theatomizing zone b'eingthe zone of intense agitation and aeration near thebottom of the vessel; G the baffling zone where the whirl of the mass isbroken up; H the separating zone where the liquid mass is suflicientlystill to allow of the froth separation taking place.

Such an apparatus may be used intermittently or continuously that is tosay, the

overflow may be continuous or the froth. may be periodically removed byintroducing sufficient liquid to cause the overflow. It is possible withan-apparatus of this sort to treat a given charge-of pulp andcontinuously or intermittently to remove the froth until the risingfroth is white and contains-no mineral. Such an apparatus isparticularly suitable for carrying out laboratory tests, but may also beused on a large scale for commercial operations.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus here shown comprises a verticalcylindrical vessel J havinga'conical bottom K and atapered or conicalupper portion L. An inlet conduit M for ore pulp leads into the bottomof this Vessel. .An inlet conduit N for air also leads into the bottomof the vessel, preferably centrally therein, and a'valve O is arrangedin this conduit to control the air admission. near the bottom of thevessel and four vertical baflies E are located in the vessel above theagitator. At the top of the vessel an overflow launder Q is provided. Anoutlet conduit T for the depleted tailings is located in the upperconical part of the vessel. The operation is as follows: An ore pulpwith a frothing agent (such as eucalyptus oil) is introduced into thevessel J through the pulp inlet M, air is introduced through the airinlet N and may be supplied under pressure, and the flow of air isregulated y the valve 0. The ore pulp is violently agitated with the airand flows upward and its turbulence is restrained by the verticalbafiies E, so that at the top of the vessel the pulp is comparativelystill and the froth forms and overflows into the concentrates launder Q,while the depleted ore pulp flows out of the vessel through the outletconduit T. The-operation is preferablv continuous.

Although air is preferably used, obviously any other gas may beemployed. The apparatus is Well adapted for, flotation of all of themineral content of an ore or for fractional or diflerential flotation ofpart of the mineral contents of an ore, and the capacity of regulatingthe inflowof the supply of anor other gas makes it particularly usefulfor fractional or differential flotation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isI 1. In an apparatus for concentrating ores by gaseous flotation ofcertain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright vessel open at thetop comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, an inletconduit for ore pulp at the bottom of the essel, an outlet conduit fortailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator in the lowerpart of the vessel, a conduit, for air leading into A rotatingagitator'D is'located most and separating zone above the baffling Izone.

2. In an apparatus for cencentrating ores by gaseous flotation ofcertain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright vessel open at thetop comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, an inletconduit for ore pulp 'at the bottom of the vessel, an outlet conduit fortailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator in the lowerpart of the vessel, a conduit for air leading into the lower part of thevessel, vertically elongated baflies immediately above the agitatorterminating at a substantial distance be low the surface of the liquidin the vessel for producing a bafiiing zone above the atomizing zone and.a substantially quiescent topmost and separating zone above thebafliing zone, and a concentrates launder arranged at the top of thevessel for continuous removal of froth.

3. In an apparatus for concentrating ores by gaseous flotation ofcertain mineral particles in liquid, a single upright cylindricallyshaped vessel comprising both an agitation and a separation vessel, aninlet conduit for ore pulp at the bottom of the vessel, an outletconduit for tailings near the top of the vessel, a rotatable agitator inthe lower part of the vessel, an air conduit for air leading into thelower part of the vessel, a valve in the air conduit for regulating theamount of air delivered to the agitation zone, four'vertically elongatedbattles above the agitator terminating at a substantial distance belowthe surface of the liquid in the vessel for producing a bafl'ling zoneabove the atomizing zone and a substantially quiescent topmost andseparating zone above the baffling zone, and a concentrates launderarranged at the top, of the vessel for continuous removal of froth. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' THOMAS MACKELLAR OWEN. I Witnesses:

HENRY D. WILLIAMS, HARRY C. LEWIs..

